


Aroma

by ionica01



Series: Almei week 2017 [3]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist - All Media Types, Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood & Manga
Genre: AlMei Week, Cute, F/M, Fluff, Tea
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-09
Updated: 2017-08-09
Packaged: 2018-12-13 10:08:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 811
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11757600
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ionica01/pseuds/ionica01
Summary: There are two distinct scents that cause Alphonse to reminisce about Xing: the hand-brewed infusion and Mei's unique smell.Written for day 3 of AlMei week 2017, for the prompt Aroma.





	Aroma

The fragrance of the steaming hot beverage tickled Al’s nostrils pleasantly, causing him to smile warmly as he buried his nose in the hot and humid steam to taste his tea.

Ever since he had come home, there were two scents that specifically reminded him of Xing, and the aroma of the self-brewed green tea was one of them. He had picked up the habit of drinking tea each morning back in Xing, since it was one of Mei’s personal favourite pastime. Soon after he tasted it, he understood exactly why: the drink had a special and unique way of putting one at ease, and at the same time, it gave one energy for the day. In a way, it was the perfect drink for the usually calm, reserved yet always-working Xingese.

It was associated with the bitter feeling that forced one to wake up and with the pleasant smell that whispered ‘harmony’. 

But there was something else about the beverage that Al found fascinating: the atmosphere it dictated. Drinking tea always supposed a tranquil and charming ambiance between the occupants of the table. 

It was a trademark for quiet mornings spent with the Royal Family, the only moment in the whole day that gathered them all around the table, pushing the stress out of their minds and managing to strike a balance between family life and work. It was the guiding tool through the transition period and they all knew they enjoyed those moments greatly

Whenever Al knew a hard day was ahead of him, a cup of tea helped get him through. And after a tough meeting, it was also tea he drank as a reward. There was just a certain mood that each type of tea was able to put him into, an unexplainable feeling that drawed him into drinking tea as one of his favourite pastimes, as well.

If he had to find a logical explanation for it, he would have had to admit it was thanks to Mei. It was her that first introduced him to the miracle that tasting the hot beverage was, and she was also why he ended up putting the drink on his list of “best thing he had tasted after he got his body back” immediately. In a way, he was thankful he hadn’t discovered it earlier, because he doubted being able to get through five years without enjoying it.

But the reason that weighed the heaviest was probably Mei’s impossible to break connection with the habit. Whenever he drank tea at his morning meal, she was there, next to him, hair not yet into her usual braids and stray, dark strands of hair mingling with the steam, falling from their place behind her ear to shine in the morning glow against her pale face. It was because she was mirroring his smile, blurry through the steam, nevertheless warm.

But most likely, it was because she added to the aroma, her own scent mingling with the tea’s. And that was doubtlessly Al’s favourite fragrance and the other scent that reminded him of Xing.

She smelled like several things. For once, she smelled like her own perfume, which had a strange scent of flowers. It was a scent that left a trace behind her, without being heavy. That was its special feature: it was simple, yet powerful. Just like her.

Then, she smelled of things one only noticed if one spent more time with her: she had borrowed the distinctive odor of old alkahestry books and ink. Spending time in the Imperial Library caused one to catch the redolence of the place, which was linked to quiet evenings spent together, deciphering a new transmutation circle or medicinal books, in her case.

And then she carried the special smell of home, which actually meant safety, warmth and love. Al guessed that was something he had simply associated with her, well aware that such things shouldn’t be able to be sensed with a human nose. But whenever she plopped onto the pillows late at night, the smell that emanated was, beyond the physical description, Al’s definition of ‘home’.

“What are you smiling about?” Mei would ask him with a suspicious look, wincing at him. He’d simply chuckle and answered: 

“Nothing.”

And then, there were mornings like today, when she entered the kitchen sleepily and sat down beside him, groggily wishing him: “Good morning!”

He’d return the same greeting, handing her a cup of her own and watching her enjoy it. This feeling was his most precious souvenir he took from Xing, and he wouldn’t have traded it for anything in the world.

Her scent would mix with the tea’s, resulting in something Al could only describe as ‘perfection’. He doubted he needed to even try finding other word. And he blessed fate for allowing him to get his body back and sense this aroma.

**Author's Note:**

> Hello!  
> I really loved this prompt: drinking tea is one of my favorite pastimes! Hopefully, you've enjoyed it:) As always, leave kudos, comment, subscribe!


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